Four more Cup runners face vet tests as Racing Victoria tightens safety rules
Saint George has been ruled out of Tuesday's Melbourne Cup after failing mandatory pre-race scans for leg soundness.
Racing Victoria has scratched Saint George from the Melbourne Cup after independent vets found he was at heightened risk of injury when reviewing his CT and PET scans. The grey gelding had run second in the Caulfield Cup and fifth in last week's Cox Plate before failing this week's mandatory pre-race checks.
Four other runners are undergoing further vet tests on Monday after showing changes in their movement when inspected. The mandatory pre-race scans became a feature of stringent Melbourne Cup safety protocols after six runners died between 2013 and 2020.
Saint George will miss the spring and be sent for a spell.
- 6 runners between 2013 and 2020
- Deaths prompting rules
- CT and PET scans
- Scan tests failed
- Blake Shinn
- Jockey assigned
- Four imports and one local-trained horse
- Other runners tested
Why it mattersThe decision protects horse welfare but removes a major betting draw and reshapes the race, with other contenders now guaranteed spots.
AustraliaThe Melbourne Cup on Tuesday remains Australia's most watched horse race; the scratching affects betting patterns and trainer plans across the country.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 3 h ago
